Steam iron



A. A. JOHNSON Oct. 6, 1953 STEAM IRON Filed Sept. 21, 1948 INVENTOR.

ATTOR/VEK) Patented Oct. 6, 1953 STEAM IRON Arthur A. Johnson, Bridgeport, Conn., assignor to Casco Products Corporation, Bridgeport, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application September 21, 1948, Serial No. 50,299

17 Claims.

I This invention relates to self-heating sadirons and particularly to irons of this character designed to carry a supply of water and heat the same to produce steam, and further provided with escape passages by which the steam may be caused to impinge upon the workpiece bein ironed.

My invention has for its object the provision of an iron of this character which can be made sufiiciently small in size and light in weight for domestic use, and which will make the most economical use of the available dimensions by providing for maximum reservoir capacity within such restrictions.

It is another object of my invention to provide a steam iron having a reservoir closure means by which the filling opening is securely sealed at normal pressures and which will automatically vent in response to excessive pressure in the operate so that the frequent refilling often necessary in the operation of a small domestic iron will not become burdensome, and the structure of which is sufficiently uncomplicated for economical production.

The steam iron in accordance with my invention is provided with a closure member carried by a resilient element for movement towards and away from the filling aperture of the reser-- voir, and a hinged handle which overlies the resilient element and stresses the same to thereby urge the closure member into aperture closing position. A releasable latch is provided for holding the handle in such position so that the iron may be transported and guided thereby in normal ironing position.

The steam iron of this invention is also preferably equipped with a pressure operated indicator mounted in the closure element for aiding the operator in detecting such conditions as readiness of the iron for use, and failure of the I water supply.

Additional features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the drawing:

Figure l is an elevation of one form of steam iron according to my invention, certain positions of the handle being illustrated by broken lines therein, and parts being broken away.

Fig. 2 is a view of the handle and closure means according to Fig. 1 looking in the direc- LII 2 tion .of the arrows 2-2 thereof, parts being shown in section.

Fig. 3 isan elevation to a larger scale of the closure element of my invention, parts being shown in section.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary elevation of a steam iron according to my. invention and illustrating a modified closure mounting, parts being broken away.

Fig. 5 is a view of the handle and closure means of Fig. 4 looking in the direction of arrows 5-5 thereof, parts being shown in section.

The steam iron constituting my invention and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, consists of a sole plate Ill, having a water reservoir 12 mounted thereon. Heating means, not shown, preferably of the electrical resistance type are disposed in the sole plate, or between the reservoir and sole plate, for heating the latter or for boiling thewater. in the reservoir, or both; As the particular heating means employed forms no part of my present invention the same has not been illustrated in the drawing and it will be understood that any suitable heater properly positioned may be substituted for the electrical means mentioned if desired.

A housing mounted at the rear of the iron may'contain the control devices necessary for regulating the operation of the heater, said devices being adjusted by means of a manually engageable setting knob 16.

The top surface of the reservoir l2 has a filling opening l8 therein, the same being provided with a' peripheral conicalseat 2B for engagement with the closure member to be hereinafter described. Overlying the top surface of the reservoir is a. handle member 24 which includes a flanged plate 26 and an insulating grip 28 attached to the upper surface thereof as by screws 30. The plate 25 is hinged to the rear portion of the reservoir by a pin 32 and the handle member may be pivoted thereon between the positions designated A and C in Fig. 1 and is capable of occupying various intermediate positions such as B. Preferably, the rear portion of the grip 28 is providedwith a recess 28a which will receive control elements such as setting knob 16 when the handle member is moved to position C in order that such controls will not unnecessarily limit the travel of the handle member in an opening direction.

The grip 28 is also preferably provided with Y such as housing I! in order that strain on the hinge pin 32 may be avoided, the handle 24 being furthermore positively located in position for transportation of the iron during filling of the reservoir as will be hereinafter described.

A post 34, rigidly mounted on the upper forward surface of the reservoir, is shaped to be received in an opening 36 its the plate 25 and also within a. correspondingsrecess- 38. in the grip 28. The post 34 serves to guide the swinging handle into proper closed position and tor, reinforce the free end of the same against side loads due to ironing.

When the handle member is;in;clqsed. p sirtion A, it is held therein by alatch consisting of a spring pressed dog 40 mounted on-thejhandlez member 24 and engageable undenthe edge oft a catch member mounted on the upper surface of the reservoir I2. Integral with the dog 4ll.is,an operating lever 44.

Disposed between the top of the reservoir the bottom of handle member l d is a closure member 46. Asshown in l'ig. 3, this, closure member consists ofa. disc 4Q o f vyieldable and resilient material preferably having a conicalen gaging surface 50 complementary. to the seat; 20 of opening 18. 'Ihetdise.48t .is mounted by pro: viding a threaded shaft igghaving a head jdl at one end and passing the same through appro; priate central openings in, said disc and ajpair of reinforcing washers .755 one on either, face thereof. The. parts are clamped in A place by a nut 58 threaded on the shaftjl which nut is provided with a radiallyextending flange fifl. The nut 58 is placed onshaft52 ,in such away that the flange 60, is spaced from the adjact-grit washer 56 and provides an annular space to, ac; commodate and provide for connection With ,a supporting element .62 having an opening 64 therein small enough tobe retained bylthefiange 6D and large enough to allow ra certai n amount of side play vof the nut 53 therein sq that thedisc will b ed-teeen r i ee fiom the-r e s,- ing l8.

In theferm of mm nr rathn hewn l es-1 and 2 the pertin f e emeet zitak of an elongated resiliQnLelement pr. 66, rigidly connected. at. one end to, t platerfl fl near the n e e o -i- Pre leeeb r ee isme screws30 which attaches the plate z t the grip 2B and which also serves ;to,cohnect are nforc o d omo nooon -oho. osom: oase may be used as the attaching means therefqr, The omev o o wawor a ow o, oon l portion to which thelclosure is attached and a free end 10 which bears on the under face or plate 26 The relaxed position ofl the parts is illustrated by the arrangement thereof inpgsi; tion B of Figf 1. When the handlerfl is ;mov ed oo ironing position nor ot ho n; ass he spring 66 is flattened slightlyandurges;the.,plo sure 46 into the opening. lflsto form a tigl t.seal Furthermore, the resilienceof; spring SB is such that if e y e e r rre euteer heuldo e: velop in the reservoir-for any reason joi en; ample due to ee de al-i es eeer ti he re m exit passages the closure is permitted slightly soas to act 215:3?29; an the pressure, -thereby prevent ng dame a reservoir i eline l aneers qtt ee ne at n The modification of mg invention" shown in Figs. 4: and 5 is similar to the form-sshowndn li'ig s 1 and 2 and where .theparts are the same they are indicated by identical reference phanacters The modified iron differs from the fqrm previously described only in that, on handle member 24a thereof, two reinforcing hinge plates 68a are substituted for the plate 68 of Fig. 2, and between them is disposed a closure supporting leaf spring 66a having a free end 10a similar in all respects to the spring 66 except that its rear end, instead of being rigidly attached to the plate 26, is hingedly mounted on pm; fl as tit-12,3 whereby thedeaf spring supporteis movabledndependently of the plate 26 and must be lifted to expose the filling opening 18 after the handle 24 has been raised.

The structures described above result in an irormwhich,can; ;bB-.akept within dimensional restriations -suitablel=for domestic use. Moreover, as =clearlyshowndn the drawings, the vertical space occup ied ;by,the closure means is maintained at a minimum so that a relatively large reservoirrvolume may be made available.

In either form of my invention I prefer to mo a n cat m nshe-; sure=:me e 6:; his s ts f--a.- te u r ns ti J el lows 14.- attached to and hermetically sealedat its connection with the head 54hr, shaft(52. The moving s d of th e o sdsee nee e t enz nr dicatingv pin i 6 .7 which passes through a central bore in the shaft 52. An opening 18 is provided n t e l elt-to cc mm ate re y h pp r end of-the-pin 16.- Preferably; the sensitivity of the ;;bellows {Moand the length 0f;.the-.pin;-='|B1;aij so chose n thatvery-little; if any of -the pin will be a edo e heo ser e flee o lated? ita her art nit re e edpr' os -A of Fig. 1, and with atmospheric essune- -imthe reservoir; while ar-slight;steam presswe in the chamber eni ns r hs: orma W ingl pressure should eigtend the pin; ;to a clearly s bl ei edresitienhuso hee e esapinr dieetes ate t e: n r i re het thetem i en ate ing steam and is ready for use, while the;lowgijed p he t e l thet the-:wateeis notss ie en vat to ene a s eam-r s. r ,3-"1 ha te mener tion haseeesediend ee lins .a io he s rv r .,:r u. .red,

nthe i e cof. thia nr ntiori the watesreserreir a e tr ad vl i efil vmere y e ees ne lever 44 e e ee e he l te sendlewins eyandle e ber e ;te; e en-:-C l t-F a he case of the form shown in Figs-.;1-and;2,;;ti1i ;mg on-pf he han le also sal r es 1 2Q Q1 me u w l r mr hsr s nine we n the on a l s ans or ed-i :th senelih nrbri shand e e e ate n:whe ?e= he-; e :iz ir i anvbere isils nd quickly l ed Wi hm amsitienr he;handle memb r can; be sw aa owmtc heri zen nszosi: em andl t hed this me enslso se i-no se ming th c o ure fiemvthezp en nsrl 8 s t es: v l I n: usin t cdifieet on=.:e i'sssA nd t epe ta ons some s escribed above, except that aftei handle;2s has;;been aised the t ni lclo spr ne fi iarmustrberen ased ndi ipped up tor-ex os itheflapertur iis befor the reservqirs ny eofil dr. Thiszz rran ment pr v des; qr elies sss rine pressurereon the closure; member t6 ..-by. lifting tthefl handleumem ber 24a an instant before the aperture-183s throw ;W de 0pen and assthe advantage .-that any residual stream pressure in the reserpoi will be exhausted in a metered fashion betwe the e h r he-di est oadthe e s 1?. h. rarertureel .t ivin en-i sieamaptt resistance of I such; pressure i and. warning the operator, against suddenlyuncovering the aperture in a heedless mannen Variations and modificationsmay be made within the scope of thisinvention and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

I claim: 7 s

1. In a steam iron, an assembly comprising a sole plate and a reservoir mounted on said sole plate, said reservoir having a filling aperture in its upper wall; anelongate transporting and operating handle member for said iron hinged at one of its ends to the rear of the assembly for movement between a filling position exposing said aperture, and an ironing position overlying the reservoir and aperture; a closure member for said aperture, normally locatedabo-ve the same; an elongate resilient biasing element; and means movably mounting said element adjacent the hinged end of the handle member to be movable with respectthereto, said element extending along the handle member and bearing on both said members and being stressed therebetween when said handle member is in ironing position and said closure member is in aperture closing position to urge the members apart, whereby said closure member is firmly maintained in closing relation to said aperture.

2. An iron as claimed in claim 1 whereinsaid handle member is hingedly mounted on said assembly and wherein said biasing element is a leaf spring pivotally connected at one end with said handle member and also connected at another portion thereof to said closure member and carrying the same.

3. An iron as claimed in claim 2 wherein said handle member and said leaf spring are each hinged to said assembly, and the closure member is a seating disk carried by said leaf spring,

4. An iron as claimed in claim 2 wherein said handle member and leaf spring are each hingedly mounted on said assembly by means of a common hinge pin, and the closure member is carried by said leaf spring between said mountin and the other end of the spring.

5. In a steam iron, an assembly comprising a sole plate and a reservoir mounted on said sole plate, said reservoir having a filling aperture in its upper wall; a transporting and operating handle member for said iron mounted on said assembly for movement between a filling position exposing said aperture, and an ironing position overlying the reservoir and the aperture; a closure member for said aperture, normally located above the same; an elongate resilient biasing element bearing on said members and being stressed therebetween when said handle member is in ironing position and said closure member in aperture closing position to urge both the members apart, whereby said closure member is firmly maintained in closing relation to said aperture; and pressure indicating means mounted on said closure member and having a portion extending through said handle member to a visible exterior position.

6. In a steam iron, an assembly comprising a sole plate and a reservoir mounted on said sole plate, said reservoir having a filling aperture in its upper wall; a transporting and operating handle member for said iron mounted on said assembly for movement between a filling position exposing said aperture, and an ironing position overlying the reservoir and the aperture; a closure member for said aperture, normally located above the same; an elongate resilient biasing element bearing on said members and being stressed therebetween when said handle member is in ironing position and said closure member in aperture closing position to urge both the members apart, whereby said closure member'is firmly maintained in closing relation to said aperture; and pressure indicating means comprising a pressure-sensitive element mounted on the inner surface of said closure member, and a movable indicator connected to said pressuresensitive element and passing through said closure member, said biasing element and said handle member to a visible exterior position.

7..In a steam iron an assembly comprising .a sole plate and a reservoir mounted on said sole plate, said reservoir having a filing aperture in its upper wall; a transporting and operating handle member for said iron and a resilient element, each independently pivotally mounted on said assembly for movement between a filling position exposing said aperture, and a covering position overlying the same; a closure element connected to one portion of said resilient element and overlying and closing said aperture when the resilient element is in covering position,.said handle member, when in covering position, engaging another portion of the resilient element and stressing the same, whereby said closure member is resiliently urged in an aperture closing direction.

8. An iron as claimed in claim '7, and further including a releasable latch positioned to retain said handle member and resilient element in their covering positions with said resilient element in stressed condition.

- 9. A steam iron comprising a steam generating chamber having an aperture; a closure for said aperture; normally releasable means removably mounting the closure on said chamber; an element mounted on said closure and so located as to be within said chamber when said closure is in aperture closing position, said element having aportion whichis movable in response to pressure changes in said chamber; and an indicating pin operatively connected to the movable portion of said element and extending through said closure to a position such that a portion thereof is perceptibly exposed when said closure is in aperture closing position.

10. A steam iron comprising a steam generating chamber having an aperture; a closure for said aperture; manually releasable means removably mounting the closure on said chamber; a pressure sensitive element mounted on said closure in a position to be within said chamber when said closure is in aperture closing position; and indicating means mounted on said closure in a position to be perceptible from the exterior of said chamber when said closure is in aperture closing position, said indicating means being operatively connected to said pressure-sensitive element.

11. A steam iron comprising a steam generating chamber having an aperture; a closure for said aperture; manually releasable means removably mounting the closure on said chamber; a pressure-sensitive element mounted within said chamber; and indicating means mounted on and extending through said closure so as to be perceptible from the exterior of said chamber, said means being operatively connected with said pressure sensitive element.

12. A steam iron comprising a steam generating chamber having an openin therein; a closure for said opening; manually operable means for removably mounting said closure on the chamber; and means for determining from the exterior of said chamber the steaming condition obtaining on the interior thereof, said means insaunas? 7 c1uding.;an -.element. -so1 mounted om-saideclosure assto .be ;.expose.d ;tozzand .affeoteda-byipressures within; said chamber. and having-a 2D01ZtiQII;Wh1Qh is movable response.-.=to.:. pressure cchanges. tin said;chamber and. indicating.means;mo.unted:.on said closure, perceptible:exteriorly-of. said-chain: her and. .operatively. associated. with the movable portion of said; element fomactuatiomitherebyr.

13. A steamvironcomprisingtaxibasel member including-a steam. generatingxhamben; :a handle member having.- a :.pl.ate overlying; and: secured-to said chamber. in. spaced .relationzthereto to prev; vent the handofqtheloperator from inadvertently touohingthe chamber and having a ifingeregri-p portion: extending above .said. chamber. .i or mane ually controlling. the; movement of :the azilLOIL-JII use; :pressure-sensitivezmeans in:.-said' :chamber; affected by steamrpressures thereimand. having ,a part movable. in response tztoopressune schanges; and an. indicator element mountettonrsaid; iron-,- actuated by --said.movable portion; and :extending through the p1ate;of .said :handle memberto; .an accessible positionon the exposed surface thereof; whereby the same .is readily; available. eforlltaotile perception. by the hand .ofi the-opelzator;

14. An attachment for a steam iron boi-leznom: prising a closure member. ionthexfilling opening of a the 'boiler, said; closure .member having-1 an aperture" therethrough; manuallyreleasable means removably mounting the :closure member on the boiler; an element sensitivesto: steam; pressure and, .havinga'a portion; :movablein .response .to changes .inizpressure;mounted;on::one surface of. said closuremembento close saidtapere ture; and an indicator mounted orr.said:attach-r ment,. extending..- through .,said:. aperture ztouthe other-surface of; said closure'member:andoperae tively associated with I said movable portion.

15: In a steam-iron, a tank having amopening in: itsv upper wall for :;the 1 passagecf;tfl1iid;::a stopper for said. opening; normallygdisposed :over

the asame; :a handle ionmanipulating thev iron", movably .mounted on; the stankxfor. positioning in either an operative position adjacent the :tank; or a. position remote from the tank;.means-movab1y mounting; the: stopper: independently-.- of the handlev ;on: the ;tank:;for positioning inn; either ;a position: sealingl-ior unsealing; the fluid: opening; andqmeansjor shifting the stopper, from unseal ing to:sea1ing.positions in response .to movement oigthenhandle efrom. its -,remote LtO its operative position.

16:;TheHinvention as defined-in claim 15min which thereqis. .means. connected .-to. the stopper and. normally acted. upon by; the: handle. a and maintainingthe stopper. seated. against the fluid opening when the handle-is. in' operative-position:

17.; The invention :as defined in ;.claim'' 16 -,-in whichthe means maintaining; the stopper seated is resilient ande-yieldslin response to excess fluid pressure on., the; stopper, thereby," to permit IOOSGIliIlg Of vthestopper. and escape of fluid from theopening past thestopper when. the tank.- has an. excess. .of pressure ,in it..

ARTHUR A..JOHNSON,.

Referencesfiit'ed in the me of this patent UNITEDgSTATESPAEENTS Number" Name D'a-te 75, Goodwin Mar. 3, 1868 306,447 White; Oct. 14,1884 574,329 Ingalsbe Dee. 2991896 915,242 St'enman Mar. 16; 1909 1,310,240 c Kessler July 15,*1919 2321,596 Hill June-21, 1938 2,279,215" Theilgaard Apr-.=7, 1942 2,328,124 Bram-er Aug.=31, 1943 2,427,474 Purpura Sept-(16,1947 2,475,571" Sehreyer-v. July 5,'-1949- 2,475,572 Schreyer Ju1y-5,-1949 

